Sturgis men among suspects in drug-ring probe

Three Sturgis men are among 20 people from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio indicted on charges they ran a major operation smuggling cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico for sale near Fort Wayne, Ind., federal prosecutors said Friday.

Three Sturgis men are among 20 people from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio indicted on charges they ran a major operation smuggling cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico for sale near Fort Wayne, Ind., federal prosecutors said today.

Martinez faces charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and the use of a communication facility.

Pena is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and the use of a communication facility.

Bennett is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and the use of a communication facility.

U.S. Attorney David Capp announced the indictments at a news conference in Fort Wayne. Most of those charged were residents of Fort Wayne and smaller communities in northeastern Indiana and one was from Van Wert, Ohio. Eighteen of the 20 were arrested in a series of FBI raids Thursday, and two remained at large.

The operation was masterminded by Manuel Herrera, 43, and his brother Armando Herrera-Velasquez, 41, both of Fort Wayne, Capp said.

Capp said in a phone interview with The Associated Press that the Herrera brothers used their connections in Mexico and Chicago to arrange for the drugs, principally powder cocaine, to be shipped from Mexico and Chicago and then brought back to the Fort Wayne area, where others helped them to divide it up and repackage it for sale. He said the drugs were imported in measures of kilograms but he declined to discuss the street value of the drugs.

Capp did not disclose details of the investigation that began in March 2011, but a statement said wiretaps were used.